brieucdevoghel-experiment

By installing a series of low-powered sensors and transmitters, it will be possible to model the MRDS’s environment and extra-vehicular activities (temperature, humidity, pressure, brightness, etc.) in order to detect variations in the habitat, the greenhouse and along expeditions. The objective is to collect, transmit and analyze the data as efficiently as possible as we try to adapt to the harsh Martian conditions. The data can be used to prepare and monitor other experiences.

A Martian mission involves a lot of risks and hardware must therefore be extremely reliable. To check the reliability of certain objects used during the mission, we will use a series of Zigbee transmitters capable of transmitting information about the status of the monitored devices. Zigbee transmitters are low-power, low-cost radios that can transmit data over long distances through a network of intermediate transmitters in order to reach more distant ones. Such radios are currently used for home automation, data collection in medical devices, etc.

The low-power transmitters could be extremely useful in a hostile environment like Mars where batteries cannot be changed frequently or where low power consumption is of high importance.

In addition, the data collected by sensors, and transmitted through the Zigbee devices, will provide insight about the status of the EVA suits, the rovers, the GreenHab, etc. The data would then be analysed to understand the condition of the monitored equipment. Data anomalies would thus result in warnings which would inform the crew that repairs are required.